Page 61 of Piston

My eyes widen, my heart pounding, and I quickly move out of Acid’s hold and rush toward Elijah’s room. The brothers chuckle at my reaction, some saying, “Fucking knew she’d be pissed,” but I ignore them all, my eyes set on the hallway.

I swear, if he got hurt and didn’t tell me about it….

“Nat,” Acid calls out as he follows me, but I ignore him, stop outside Elijah’s room, and open the door without thinking.

The scene before me causes me to freeze with shock, Acid’s, “Fucking shit,” just hitting my ears.

The pain I should have felt seeing my step-monster screw my high school boyfriend, the pain that never came—which made me believe I was broken—hits me ten-fold at the scene before me, all my fears hitting me hard in the face.

My husband lays on his back, his head facing me, sleeping, his shirt missing, while a woman, a bottle-blonde bitch, lays on top of him, her bare breasts pressed against his chest.

“Natalie, it’s not what it looks like; we both know he’d never do this to you, even when he believed you trapped him,” Acid tries.

I ignore him, allowing the fear to overtake me for a moment, consuming me as I look over the scene. The thought of runninghits hard. I'm angry at myself for letting him in, hurt that he’d do this to us when we promised to try, when he refused to let me go, when I gave him an out several times….

My eyes tear up as my mind continues to make up crap, my body shaking, before I notice the bandage on his arm, blood seeping through it, and I snap out of my irrational thoughts, kicking the fears away, taking in the scene for what it is, and I narrow my eyes on his arm for a better look.

Is that…? Was my husbandshot, and he didn’t even call me?

My breathing picks up as I keep my eyes trained on the bandage. I’m fully aware the bitch is now smirking at me and that Acid is tense beside me, but I can’t seem to move my eyes from his arm.

I’m going to kill him….

“Natalie, please, don’t take this the wrong way. Let’s wake him, and I can guarantee he’ll be pissed,” Acid tries again.

I ignore him again and lean against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest.

Now I’m not clouded by my fear, I’ve taken note how yes, the bitch is naked, but my husband, his jeans are on and buttoned, and I also remember the conversations we had about how this woman, Katie, was basically stalking him.

I tilt my head and eye his arm again.

If that’s a bullet wound, and he didn't call me….

Elijah stirs, groaning in pain before his body freezes in shock, and I nod, getting the confirmation I need. Acid sighs in relief before Elijah snaps, “What the fuck?” his eyes on Katie.

Acid clears his throat to get his brother's attention, and his head shoots our way. His eyes go to me instantly, and pure panic etches his features.

“Diamond,” he utters, and I tilt my head, my eyes going back to his bandage.

Yep, that’s definitely a bullet wound….

“Baby, maybe it's time we tell your wife what’s been happening between us….” the girl whines, and Acid tenses again while Elijah shoves her hard, but before she can fall, she grabs his injured arm so he can’t throw her off, making him grunt, and I tense at his pain, wanting to punch the bitch.

I hear what she’s trying to say, and I can see what she’s doing, but even if Elijah and I were in the same place we were a few months ago, I still wouldn’t believe her. I’ve walked into this clubhouse to brothers screwing the women, and while not right, all my husband was doing was watching.

Don’t get me wrong—my mind did go there for a minute,one minute—but that was my childhood talking, bringing up my fears. It gave me a chance to run, but seeing Elijah hurt snapped me out of it.

The woman, Katie, grins my way, rubbing her breasts on my husband, whose face has paled significantly, and I raise a brow and ask, “So, should I throw my wedding ring at you and run away, or do I demand answers?”

Elijah shakes his head and tries to shove the bitch again, but this time, she digs her thumb into his arm, making him suck in a breath; his forehead starts to sweat due to the pain.

Acid sneers, “Fucking bitch,” and takes a step forward, knowing the pain is making him weak.

I grip his arm and give him a subtle head shake, causing him to frown.

“Fuck’s sake,” Elijah growls, then tilts his head toward me and snaps, “You know this isn’t what it looks like. You know, even in our worst state, I wouldn’t do this to you, to us, and besides, I have enough cameras in this room to show you what happened.”

I nod, because he’s right. In my fear, I’d forgotten about the cameras. Thankfully, it was my love for him snapping me out of my head, seeing his wound, and I knew he wouldn’t do this, and I’m glad I didn’t think of them, to be honest.